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Project Noah Nature School
Blapstinus sp.
Gray, oval beetle that is fairly flat. It played dead when I touched it.
Under rock in backyard.
Spotted on Feb 16, 2014
Submitted on Feb 17, 2014
13 Comments
Thank you Larry!
Lovely series Cindy!
Well I'm impressed that anyone can ID some organisms with images alone. Keep up the great work, stho002!
Actually, maybe the sides of the pronotum aren't explanate enough for it to be Gonocephalum? On the other hand, most Blapstinus spp. seem to be more convex beetles. At any rate, it is certainly an opatrine tenebrionid.
I got the same impression and was a bit surprised when it was moved. I'd hope a second opinion was weighed before moving despite the lack of comment.
I really appreciate all of your help with identification! Since I don't know how to key beetles, I'm curious what feature(s) you see that have you leaning toward Gonocephalum.
Well, looking at the BG link, they weren't sure (i.e. use of question mark and "perhaps"). I'm still leaning more to Gonocephalum..
You may very well be correct. Feel free to discuss it with the person who ID'd it: http://bugguide.net/node/view/894332
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/coleopt/Gon...
These opatrines are tricky. I'm not entirely convinced that it isn't Gonocephalum
Thank you for the reference, stho002. I just received an ID of Blapstinus sp.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/488768
Thank you :)
Nice series!